


Corrin hasn't been the same.

by astral_clefairy



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-10 11:21:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12910866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astral_clefairy/pseuds/astral_clefairy
Summary: One night during the final meal of the day Prince Xander notices that Corrin seems a bit off. Worried, he goes to check what is wrong.





	Corrin hasn't been the same.

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in the Conquest timeline. I didn't want to choose between F!Corrin or M!Corrin so either interpret it as which ever you like or as a nonbinary Corrin.  
> Sorry if its a bit OOC. My latest replay of Fates has been the Birthright path so there isn't a whole lot of Xander for me to reference but I didn't watch a few support chats just to get an idea.  
> ALSO this is 100% sibling love and bonding. If I see any incest shippers trying to interpret this as shipping im gonna be pissed.

It was strange. Corrin is never this quiet. While everyone chatted and ate together during dinner, Corrin just… sat there. Not even watching. Just playing with their food until they decided to leave. 

He wasn’t sure why but Prince Xander had a gut feeling that he should see Corrin about this as soon as he could. Normally he would have just alerted Camilla of their younger sibling’s off behavior, but the hour was growing late, and he was already on his way to Corrin’s tree house. Although Xander presented himself as the distant “stoic pillar” of the family he was confident that he could get Corrin to tell him what was wrong… or at least he was until he got to the door.

“What am I doing?” Xander thought to himself. “Corrin will never open up to me. I am over stepping. If only it wasn’t so dark. I could call for Camilla.”

Just as he was about to turn back something got his attention. In the silence of the night he heard a small sob coming from inside Corrin’s room.

Acting only on instinct, Xander moved to the door. He knocked softly and called into the room, “Corrin, it’s Xander. I saw that you were not yourself at dinner tonight and have come to check on you. Are you alright?”

There was a short silence between them until Corrin, in a hushed, almost brittle voice, answered, “I am fine. I’m sorry if I caused you any inconvenience.”

“Corrin,” he said a bit louder, “I know you. Something is clearly wrong. If you are not comfortable talking to me about it I can get Camilla, I just want to help you.”

There was what sounded like shuffling in to room and to Xander’s surprise Corrin opened the door just enough for him to see their face. It was obvious that Corrin had been crying. Their eyes were red and puffy and, despite Corrin’s effort to wipe them away, there were still fresh tears on their cheeks.

“Corrin, you’ve been crying. What is the matter?” asked Xander.

“Nothing I’ve…. I’ve just had a long day. That’s all.” They replied as they headed back into the room and sat on the bed, waving for Xander to follow.

Xander wasn’t buying it. He sat on the edge of the bed and locked eyes with his sibling. “Corrin,” he said, “please tell me what’s wrong.”

Corrin broke eye contact and let out a shuttered sigh, “You would think less of me if you knew…”

Xander was taken aback. The very idea of Corrin being worried of what he’d think and fearing the worst was heart breaking to him. Suddenly maintaining an outward appearance of disinterest and general coldness didn’t seem like a good idea, not if his siblings were suffering because of it.

“Corrin,” he spoke a bit louder and more firmly, only to get their attention, “I may be crown prince of Nohr but before that or anything else I am your brother. There is nothing you could say to me that would give me reason to think less of you. Now please tell me what is troubling you. I only want to help.”

Corrin’s gaze snapped back to Xander’s.

“I’m sorry Xander, I didn’t mean to upset you. Its just that… as much as I love you and our siblings but I… I miss my family back in Hoshido. I feel like I barely know them! No, it’s more like I’ve known them my whole life but at the same time didn’t know them at all until I was taken to the capital of Hoshido. I feel guilty when I enjoy life here with you all, but I also feel guilty when I entertain the thought of being with them, even if its just for a moment! Not only that but while I was with her I couldn’t even remember my own mother. She sacrificed her life for me and I STILL can’t recall a single memory of my childhood with her!”

Now full on sobbing Corrin cannot look at their brother any longer. Their eyes are shut tight and sting from the force of the tears.

“I-I’m sorry Xander! I know I sh-shouldn’t feel like this! It is our duty as Nohrian royalty to fight H-Hoshido even if that makes my birth family our enemy. I would never leave and turn again you and the family I’ve grown up with and love, but I feel as though saying that makes me a hypocrite! I did just that to them! I turned my back on t-them! When all they wanted was for us to be a family again…”

Xander was stunned but strangely not surprised that this is what was bothering his sibling. Corrin hadn’t been quite the same since they returned from Hoshido. Since they learned the truth. 

He sighed and said, “I’m sorry Corrin. All this time I’ve been so focused on the war that I didn’t even think about what you must be going through.” Xander brushed his hand through his hair collecting his thoughts. 

After a moment and a deep sigh, he continued, “I should have told you years ago. You should have known. Father ordered Camilla and myself never to reveal the truth about your past to you because he feared it would turn you against him and Nohr. Or perhaps it was just his way of maintaining power over us… over you...”

Corrin’s sobbing had slowed. They were now looking towards their big brother. 

Xander hung his head, “I supposed I too feared you would leave us if you knew the truth. I couldn’t lose any more family. Not after mother died and not after how much father changed. As the oldest sibling it should have been my duty to tell you, no matter the consequences. You deserved to know. It’s my fault you are in so much pain now, Corrin. I’m sorry.”

A soft “Xander…” came from Corrin as they came closer to their brother.

“Nothing about what you are feeling is wrong Corrin. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to feel guilty anytime I think of being with my mother again. No one should. No matter what happens during this war I hope you continue to care for and love your family in Hoshido the way you do now. Hopefully when this war is over you can be reunited with them and all these fears can be put to rest. I promise you that I will be there for you every step of the way.”

Corrin wiped away the tears from their face and gave a small smile. “Thank you Xander. For everything. I never thought I’d tell that to anyone, not even Camilla. I’m sorry I doubted you.”

He turned to Corrin with smile and said, “Please don’t worry about that. Just promise me that if there is ever anything you need to get off your chest that you feel like you can’t share with anyone else that you’ll come to me and talk about it. I don’t ever want you to feel alone.”

Corrin hugged Xander and replied, “Only if you promise to do the same. You may be the oldest and the crown prince but that doesn’t mean you have to keep your troubles to yourself.”

With that Xander let out a soft laugh and said, “It’s a promise.”


End file.
